Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the original lead guitarist of KISS, died on Thursday after sustaining wounds during a fall last month.
In a Thursday statement on Instagram, Frehley’s family confirmed that the 74-year-old rock star died “peacefully” while surrounded by family members in Morristown, New Jersey. The family noted that Frehley’s death came after a “recent fall at his home.”
“We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth,” the family stated.
“We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others,” Frehley’s family added. “The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”
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According to TMZ, sources told the outlet that Frehley had been hospitalized after falling in his home multiple weeks ago. The outlet reported that Frehley’s upcoming tour dates had been canceled and that the rock star had been placed on a ventilator for life support.
After Frehley’s fall in September and multiple tour date cancellations, an Instagram statement, which has since been deleted, provided an update on the 74-year-old rock star’s health, saying, “He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time.
However, a more recent post on the rock star’s Instagram page pointed to continued “medical issues” and confirmed that Frehley’s remaining 2025 tour dates had been canceled. The post stated, “Due to some ongoing medical issues, Ace has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of his 2025 dates.”
According to Variety, Frehley was one of the founding members of KISS and was the lead guitarist for the band. The outlet noted that Frehley played with the band from 1973 to 1982 and rejoined the band from 1996 to 2002.
